Sesshoumaru's Heart
by Shadow's Mirror
Summary: Sesshoumaru has always seen emotion as being a weakness that he refuses to give in to. But when he finds himself in the middle of a trap, he has no choice but to follow his heart. (complete)
1. Under Observation

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Inu-Yasha - A Feudal Fairytale and all related characters are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi.

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Sesshoumaru's Heart   
Chapter 1: Under Observation  
By Shadow's Mirror

The wind whipped around the small clearing, shaking the leaves into a frenzy and causing the hair and clothing of the clearing's three inhabitants to flutter around them. The smallest of the three, a toad-like youkai wearing a brown robe and an odd little black hat, cried out in shock as the wind pushed at him, almost knocking him over. "Ah! Sesshoumaru-sama! This wind… could it be…?"

The silver-haired youkai lord turned his head slightly as his sharp hearing caught the soft rustle of grass beneath a familiar light step. "Kagura! Show yourself!" His command was still lingering on the air when the bushes parted and she appeared. 

Kagura, the wind user. Second daughter of the evil fiend Naraku. A beautiful female youkai who appeared in human form, except for her telltale tapered ears and her glittering ruby eyes. As usual, she held a delicate fan in one hand. As she stepped into view, she lowered the fan slightly, indicating that she was not there to fight. "Hello, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "What do you want, Kagura?" 

The female youkai laughed softly. "Well, that's a fine greeting! No small talk, huh? Oh, very well then. Naraku sent me to kidnap the little girl, of course." She smiled, her eyes gleaming with amusement as her comment had its predictable effect.

"W…what? You dare say that to Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken was so shocked he didn't know whether she was serious or not. It wasn't always easy to tell with Kagura. Although she was Naraku's daughter, and had caused massive amounts of death and destruction in accordance with his wishes, there were times when she seemed to be just as against her father as anyone else. Just in case she was serious though, he grasped his staff a little more tightly and glanced at Rin to make sure that she was behind him. 

Rin gasped at Kagura's words and nervously edged closer to Jaken. Her worried eyes darted from Kagura to Sesshoumaru and back again. 

Sesshoumaru remained silent as he studied Kagura, his face completely emotionless as usual. Finally, he gave a slight shrug and turned away. "Naraku is wasting his time, and yours. She means nothing to me." He started walking away, leaving Jaken gasping in shock as he stared after him. 

"M… my lord? S… Sesshoumaru-sama?" 

Rin also watched Sesshoumaru walk away, but her expression was more wistful than shocked. There was a slight hint of sadness in her eyes as she turned to face Kagura again. For a single moment, the same expression seemed to flash across the wind-user's face. Or perhaps it was just a trick of the light. It was gone too quickly to tell for certain. 

Kagura raised her fan and snapped it open, then sighed. "Honestly Sesshoumaru… it's no fun if you don't put up a fight." Plucking a feather from her hair, she threw it up into the air and then leapt up, landing with practiced ease on top of the now-giant feather. "You can keep the child for a little while longer, but one day…" 

She was suddenly completely serious, all signs of her normal flirtatious manner gone as she looked down at the youkai lord, who had paused on the edge of the clearing to watch her leave. "One day Naraku will take her, you know. He has plans for her, and for you." 

Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow a little. "A warning, Kagura?" 

She shook her head slightly. "More like a promise. Don't underestimate him."

Sesshoumaru almost smiled. "Naraku is nothing more than a fool if he believes that I will be as easy to bait as my worthless brother. He is the one who allows his common sense to leave him because of his pathetic heart and its human emotions, not I." 

An unfathomable look passed across Kagura's face. "You don't realise how important a heart is… until you no longer have one…" With that, she silently commanded her feather to fly. She was gone as quickly as she had arrived.

Jaken blinked and turned to Sesshoumaru, extremely puzzled. "Sesshoumaru-sama… what do you think she meant by that?" Rin also looked up, although she seemed more relieved that Kagura had gone than anything else. 

Sesshoumaru gazed up at the sky in silence for a moment before turning away. Ignoring Jaken's question, he started walking. "We're leaving."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin ran after him immediately, her earlier sadness forgotten. 

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken started to follow, then quickly doubled-back to catch up the reins of the massive youkai beast that traveled with them. "Oh… Sesshoumaru-sama! Wait for me, Sesshoumaru-sama! Don't leave me behind!"

* * *

As they left the clearing, they failed to notice the two emerald eyes watching them from inside a hollow log half hidden beneath a bush on the clearing's edge. The bright eyes followed them until they were out of sight, then a soft sigh came from within the log. 

"Naraku isn't the only fool around here, Sesshoumaru. I can see that I'm going to have to act fast on this one. Yes… by the time I'm through with you, you'll never be the same again!"

To be continued…


	2. Stolen Away

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Inu-Yasha - A Feudal Fairytale and all related characters are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The flute and flute-player mentioned in this chapter appear in episodes 133 & 134 of the Inu-Yasha anime, otherwise known as the Autumn Special, 'The Woman Who Loved Sesshoumaru'. At the end of it, Sesshoumaru told Sara to keep playing her flute for him.

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Sesshoumaru's Heart   
Chapter 2: Stolen Away  
By Shadow's Mirror

"Jaken-sama, what did that lady mean? Who doesn't have a heart?" Rin looked down at the small youkai leading the massive two-headed beast that she was riding on, as their group walked along the rocky path meandering along the bottom of a small ravine. 

Jaken scowled. "Why must you always ask such foolish questions?" He didn't know the answer, but there was no way that he was going to admit it!

Rin smiled. "Because Rin want to know the answers!"

"Well I… Oof!" Jaken's reply was cut off as he walked into something and crashed to the ground. Blinking to clear his suddenly doubled vision, he looked up. "Huh? Sesshoumaru-sama? Is something wrong?" Sesshoumaru had paused in the middle of the trail, his head raised and tilted slightly, as though he was listening to something in the distance. 

"Are we stopping here?" Jaken looked around in confusion, wondering why his lord had decided to stop so suddenly. It didn't look like a very good resting place to him and besides, they'd only stopped about an hour earlier. True, their break had been interrupted by Kagura's annoying visit, but still… With Rin riding on Ah-Un, they wouldn't need to stop again until nightfall, which was still an hour or so away. 

Sesshoumaru ignored his minion's prattling, his attention on a sound so faint that he wasn't even sure that he was hearing it. Perhaps he wasn't. Perhaps it was just in his mind. He'd almost convinced himself of that when the wind shifted slightly and the sound came more clearly for just a moment. Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. That was definitely the sound of a flute. 

The youkai lord tensed. The sound brought back memories, but that wasn't the problem. He heard the sweet song of a flute on the wind more frequently than he cared to admit. But he knew the song that particular flute played… and this was definitely not the same song, or the same flute. He'd heard it a few times before, and he was starting to suspect that someone was following him. Someone who was taunting him with one of the few sounds that he genuinely enjoyed hearing. 

"Jaken, stay here with Rin." Before the smaller youkai could respond, Sesshoumaru turned into a ball of bluish-white light and shot off to find the source of the irritating sound. 

"Bye Sesshoumaru-sama! Come back soon!" Rin waved at the rapidly disappearing ball of light as Jaken sighed and started muttering to himself. 

"He left me… again… If it weren't for this girl… Why does my lord Sesshoumaru-sama insist on keeping her? I'm not saying we should abandon her in a forest or anywhere dangerous. We could just leave her at a village or… huh? What's this? Mist? In the middle of the afternoon?" 

Jaken blinked at the light mist that had begun to cover the area. He frowned, suddenly uneasy. "Rin… come here, quickly!" By the time the little girl had slipped off Ah-Un's back and was standing beside him, Jaken knew he wasn't imagining things. The mist was definitely becoming thicker. "This… isn't normal mist…" he muttered to himself. 

Rin looked around anxiously, not liking the damp grey fog in the slightest. "Jaken-sama… Rin scared." She clutched at his sleeve. The mist was now so thick they couldn't even see each other. 

Jaken planted the end of his staff firmly in the ground. "I'll…" He was about to say 'burn it off' when something, or someone, suddenly yanked the staff out of his hand! Jaken gasped and tensed, instinctively grabbing Rin to make sure that he didn't lose her too. If he did… Sesshoumaru-sama would kill him!

The thought had just run through his mind when Jaken smelled something that definitely wasn't mist. It smelled like some sort of incense. He sniffed and immediately knew it had been a mistake. He swayed dizzily, only vaguely aware of Rin as she slipped out of his weakened grasp. He heard her fall to the ground beside him. It was the last thing he heard before everything went dark. 

* * *

Sesshoumaru was not a happy youkai. He'd followed the sound of the flute all over the ravine but the flute, and whoever was playing it, had proven frustratingly elusive. Every time he'd thought he'd caught up to the player, the sound had stopped and then started again, so far away that he'd had to strain his ears to hear! He had refused to give up, but in the end he hadn't had any choice. The music had stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Tilting his head to listen one last time, he sighed and resumed his ball of light form to return to Jaken and Rin. 

The first sign that something was wrong was the faint mist hanging over the part of the ravine where he had left them. When he saw Ah-Un lying unconscious on the path with no sign of Rin or Jaken anywhere, Sesshoumaru knew that he had been tricked. The flute had merely been a lure to entice him away so someone could kidnap Rin! Although… why anyone would want to kidnap Jaken as well was a complete mystery to him. 

He'd only been traveling with Rin a short time, but she'd been targeted for kidnapping more times than he cared to recall. Jaken on the other hand… It had been over a hundred years since Jaken had joined him, and in all that time he'd never been kidnapped even once before now! 

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes glinted as they turned hard and cold. He began to sniff at the air, noting with distaste the incense that was still lingering over the area. He recognised it immediately. It was a plant that, when burnt, produced a smell powerful enough to knock out a fair-sized youkai, like Ah-Un. Jaken and Rin… especially Rin… wouldn't have stood a chance against it. But there was another scent on the breeze and Sesshoumaru grew still as satisfaction, and something that felt very much like relief, flooded through him. 

The kidnapper had left a trail. All he needed to do was follow it and he would find Rin and Jaken. 

It was a trap, of course. Sesshoumaru knew that. Probably one of Naraku's evil schemes, although the kidnapper's scent wasn't his, or any other scent that Sesshoumaru recognised for that matter. It made no difference though. Trap or not, he would follow the trail to wherever it took him. 

As he took off after the scent, Sesshoumaru told himself that he wasn't going with the intention of rescuing Rin and Jaken. He didn't care in the least what happened to them. But he didn't like being tricked. Also, knowing that he'd fallen for such a simple distraction was something that Sesshoumaru was extremely annoyed with himself over. He was determined to take out that annoyance on someone. Preferably the one who had tricked him in the first place. If he happened to come across Rin and Jaken along the way, he might retrieve them. It depended on what kind of trouble they'd managed to get themselves into. One thing was certain though. 

No one made a fool of Sesshoumaru, so whoever had done this would pay dearly. 

To be continued…


	3. The Game

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Inu-Yasha - A Feudal Fairytale and all related characters are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi.

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Sesshoumaru's Heart   
Chapter 3: The Game  
By Shadow's Mirror

Sesshoumaru eyed the dark mouth of the small cave before him with distaste. The trail of the kidnapper had brought him here, to the other end of the ravine from where he had last seen Jaken and Rin. The scent had been suspiciously easy to follow. Not once had it faded or misled him on the path. It hadn't even circled around or doubled back on itself. It had just led straight to this cave. 

It was such an obvious trap that it almost physically hurt him to walk into it. He was certain that there wouldn't be enough room inside for him to use his sword, Toukijin, effectively. Still, it wasn't his only weapon. Sesshoumaru flexed his claws, his golden eyes gleaming with anticipation as he entered the cave. 

He paused for a moment, allowing his eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness, then began walking steadily through the deep cave to the back wall. There was no sign of Rin or Jaken, so he knew there had to be a tunnel. The scent of his prey was stronger in the close confines of the cave so it would be an easy matter for him to sniff it out… if it had been hidden and not merely a gaping hole in the cave's back wall. 

Sesshoumaru sighed softly. He was beginning to wonder if this was really one of Naraku's plots. Evil as Naraku was, at least he came up with original and creative ways to hurt people, his plans were always devious and his planning was meticulous in every detail. Sesshoumaru had to grant him that much. The current situation just seemed too… simple… for Naraku to be behind it. Still, perhaps that was part of the plan. To lure him into a false sense of security. 

Sesshoumaru sniffed disdainfully and climbed through the hole, then started walking along the long, narrow tunnel that he'd entered. He remained constantly alert for the slightest sign of trouble. He'd already been caught by surprise once that day. He refused to allow it to happen a second time. But when he rounded a corner and found himself at the entrance to a massive underground cavern, lit with burning torches set around the walls, he barely managed to keep himself from reacting. 

It took him a moment to notice the two large iron cages hanging on long chains from the cave roof so they were only a few feet above the ground, and a moment more to make out the two small figures within the cages. Rin lay unconscious on the floor of the cage on the left, Jaken was in a similar state on the right. 

Sesshoumaru's claws bit into his palm as his fist clenched. He stepped into the cave, but didn't head for either cage. Instead, he tensed and his hand moved to the hilt of his sword. "I am here." 

A soft chuckle echoed around the chamber. "Yes, I noticed. Welcome Sesshoumaru. I'm pleased that you could join us."

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" His tone was emotionless with just a hint of ice.

"Who I am is not important. As for what I want… You will find out soon enough." The voice, which kept coming at him from different directions, sounded amused. 

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly into his 'I am extremely irritated and will destroy something if I don't get a straight answer soon' look. "I did not come here to play games."

"On the contrary Sesshoumaru, that is exactly why you are here. You and I are going to play a little game. It's called 'The Cage of Death'." The voice now sounded perfectly serious. 

Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow slightly; refusing to reveal the unease the words had created within him. Rin and Jaken were in cages… "What makes you think I will agree to play?" 

"You really don't have a choice. Not if you want your minion and little girl back, at any rate."

"Then you are out of luck. Do with them as you will." Sesshoumaru started to turn back towards the tunnel, sure that his plan would not fail him. By reacting in such a fashion, it would confuse his opponent and make him wonder if he had overestimated the value Sesshoumaru placed on Rin and Jaken's lives. Sesshoumaru would then have the situation in his control. It was the same thing he had done time and time again with Naraku and Kagura, so he was confident that it would work. Anyone who went to the trouble of kidnapping Rin and Jaken would not harm them so readily, especially when they had not served their purpose. 

"If you leave, the game is over and they will both die." 

The words, spoken softly but with a thread of steel through them, made Sesshoumaru pause, but he refused to allow himself to show any weakness. "As I said, do with them as you will." 

He had taken a step towards the tunnel when the voice came again. "Perhaps I was not clear. Leave this chamber and they will die immediately. Their bodies will then be destroyed, so you will be unable to revive them." 

The words froze Sesshoumaru in place as his mind raced. His opponent knew of his second sword, Tenseiga, and it's power over death! As far as he was aware, only a few had such knowledge. He was certain that his opponent was none of them, which meant that it was more widely known about than he had suspected. But that was not his main concern. 

He had indeed considered reviving them if they died. How had his opponent known the thought that had flown so fleetingly through his mind that he had barely recognised it himself? Sesshoumaru reluctantly turned back. "You appear to know a great deal about me. Or so you believe."

"I have been watching you for some time now, Sesshoumaru. That is why I am here."

A glimmer of understanding sparked in the youkai lord's mind. "You seek to test me." 

"In a manner of speaking." Again, the voice held amusement. 

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly and crossed his arms. A part of him was telling him to leave and not look back, but another part of him kept flashing images through his mind. Rin smiling up at him. Jaken running after him. Rin trying to teach Jaken to fish. Their delight when Jaken had actually managed to catch something… As much as he tried to ignore the images, they refused to go away.

"At least hear me out, Sesshoumaru. You can always leave if you decide that the game is not to your liking, after all. If you leave without listening… you are more of a coward than I thought."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he tensed, shock running through him. No one… absolutely no one… called him a coward and got away with it! "You dare…" The voice interrupted him with a soft chuckle.

"Yes, I thought that would get your attention. But you are, you know. There is one thing that you keep running from. It's a pity really, because you would become far stronger if you only allowed yourself to face your fear."

"I fear nothing." Sesshoumaru's voice was a low growl that promised a painful death to anyone who angered him enough.

"If that is true, then you have nothing to worry about. Play my game." The voice was serious again.

Sesshoumaru knew it was a trap, but he was too angry to care. "If I win…" Again, the voice interrupted him with a laugh.

"Oh no! It's not that kind of game! There is no 'winner' or 'loser'. It's a game of choice, rather than of chance. Allow me to explain."

Sesshoumaru frowned but remained silent. He already didn't like the sound of this 'game'.

"You see before you two cages. Your minion lies in one, your little girl in the other. They are unharmed, merely in deep sleep. Did you recognise the smell of the plant that I used to put them in that state?" 

"I did," Sesshoumaru calmly acknowledged. 

"Then you may know that there is another plant that, when burned with the first, produces another effect." 

Sesshoumaru tensed. He had heard of both plants. When one was burned, the smoke sent all who breathed it into a deep sleep. The effect was similar if the other plant was burned, only instead of sleep it brought on a feverish illness that was very difficult to heal. But if both plants were burned together… "The smoke is poisonous. It causes instant death." His voice was as emotionless as his expression, except for a glint of anger in his narrowed eyes. 

"Look at the floor of the cages, but touch nothing." 

The warning was unnecessary. Sesshoumaru didn't need to approach the cages. He could see the ring of leaves around the edges of both cage floors from where he stood. A strange uneasiness filled him as he began to understand the fate that would befall Rin and Jaken if he did not play this 'game'. "Leaves."

"Yes. The cages and their chains have been bound to each other. If a cage or chain is touched, the leaves in the other cage will immediately begin to burn and the occupant of that cage will die. There is also a barrier around each cage. It will keep the smoke confined, but it also stops you from doing anything that might get them out. To break both spells on a cage, you have only to break the chain that holds it."

Sesshoumaru immediately saw the trap and his uneasiness became something that he was unwilling to admit to feeling. Dread. He ruthlessly pushed it to the back of his mind. When he spoke, his face and voice revealed nothing of his internal unrest. "If I break the chain on one cage, the spell on the other cage will activate." 

"I knew you'd see the catch. Yes, that's right. As I said before, this isn't a game of chance. It's a game of choice. Your choice. Save one and you condemn the other to death. So, which will it be, Sesshoumaru? The life of your faithful servant, or the life of your little girl?"

To be continued…


	4. The Choice

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Inu-Yasha - A Feudal Fairytale and all related characters are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Slight spoiler warning for anyone who hasn't seen episodes 7 (corresponds to book 2) and 96 (anime only) of the anime.

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Sesshoumaru's Heart   
Chapter 4: The Choice  
By Shadow's Mirror

__

'It's a game of choice. Your choice. Save one and you condemn the other to death. So, which will it be, Sesshoumaru? The life of your faithful servant, or the life of your little girl?'

The words ran endlessly through Sesshoumaru's mind as he stared at the cages, for once in his life not knowing what to do. The ruthless side of his nature urged him to simply leave, so as not to give any satisfaction at all to his opponent by playing this 'game' of his. Up until this moment, he had refused to allow himself to acknowledge that he was anything other than entirely ruthless, but… there was definitely another voice within him. A very little voice, true, but it was screaming at him with surprising strength. It was urging him to save them. Both of them.

That little voice… was it Tenseiga? No, he would have recognised it if it were. His conscience? No, surely not. Who had ever heard of a youkai with such a thing? But then… that left only one other possibility… The little voice had to be his long-ignored heart. 

Sesshoumaru tried to lock the voice away at the back of his mind, but it was a struggle. Every time he thought he'd succeeded, it would break away and return to scream at him and show him image after image of Rin and Jaken. Rin happy. Jaken tripping over something. Rin laughing. Jaken being stepped on. Rin playing. Jaken sighing as she danced around him. Rin looking pensive as he left her alone and calling out for him to come back for her. Jaken looking upset when he'd told him to stay behind with Rin. Which he'd told Jaken to do quite often since it kept him out of his way. 

As the images kept up their relentless assault on his mind, Sesshoumaru stood silent and still, gazing at the cages as though deep in thought. He would never admit to the struggle going on within his mind. But he knew that it couldn't last forever. If he was going to leave, then he needed to do it now. If he was going to stay… then he needed to choose. But how to make such a choice?

As his thoughts shifted direction, Sesshoumaru knew that he'd decided to stay. It hadn't really been a conscious decision, but he defended it by telling himself that he'd made it because he refused to allow his opponent to think him a coward. He was also curious as to why his opponent was doing this. He couldn't see what his opponent would gain by it, and that troubled him. At least when he was dealing with Naraku he had a clear idea of what the half-youkai was after!

Once he'd decided to stay, the voice in his mind grew quiet enough for him to look at the problem logically. The decision was obvious. 

Jaken was a youkai who had served him faithfully for over a hundred years. He could be annoying at times, but he had also helped out once or twice. Most importantly though, he did the things that were too commonplace for Sesshoumaru to do, like light fires and cook dinner. Without him, Sesshoumaru's life wouldn't be as comfortable as it was, even while journeying. Sesshoumaru valued his comfort. Rin was just a little human girl. She was of no importance or value to him whatsoever. He didn't even know why he'd bothered to save her life, let alone why he had tolerated her continued company. 

Sesshoumaru turned towards Jaken's cage and started forward. 

He had taken no more than a step when a sudden pain pierced his chest. His stride faltered and his golden eyes widened slightly in shock. The pain was followed by an odd fluttering sensation, as though there was a bird caught inside his chest and trying to get out. His mind suddenly flooded with sights and sounds… all of Rin. Her laugh, her piping voice, her worried cries for him to come back to her, her smile, her song… the song… more than anything else, her song. Sesshoumaru stopped. He bowed his head, his hair hiding his eyes for a moment as he tried to think rationally. As he tried to ignore what his heart was trying to tell him. But his heart refused to be ignored any longer. It would not be silent!

Sesshoumaru's head snapped up, his golden eyes blazing. He'd had enough of the internal battle. His brother was the emotional one. His worthless, pathetic brother was the one who allowed his heart to rule over what passed for his mind. Sesshoumaru had lived for many years without even acknowledging his heart's existence and there was no way that he was going to change that now! He started forwards again, determined to keep to the course of action that reason dictated. Then another voice filled his mind, stopping him in his tracks. 

Actually, it was more of a very strong feeling than a real 'voice'. After all, how could a sword such as Tenseiga possibly talk? But Sesshoumaru had always been able to understand the sword somehow. It 'spoke' only when necessary, but so far it had proven to be right each and every time. Calming down, he listened. When he heard its message, he almost threw the sword away in rage.

__

Have courage, Sesshoumaru and follow your heart. 

Courage! Now his own sword dared to call him a coward? Sesshoumaru almost growled. 

__

To know your heart, is to know yourself. Only then can you truly be strong, for only then can you truly know where your strength lies. 

Sesshoumaru decided that he hated riddles. Especially riddles given to him by a sword that couldn't even cut! But… something Tenseiga said bothered him because it reminded him of something that he'd once noticed about his brother. 

During their first battle over Tetsusaiga, Inu-Yasha had been slow and clumsy, unable to even land a punch. But when the life of the annoying human female with him had been threatened… suddenly all that had changed. It had been as though Inu-Yasha had gained strength and speed out of his will to protect her. Sesshoumaru had never quite been able to forget about that incident. It hadn't been the only time it had happened either. Whenever his brother allowed his emotions to choose his course of action, he somehow always managed to not only survive, but succeed in whatever he was trying to do. The thought made Sesshoumaru more than a little uncomfortable. 

Perhaps… He could at least listen to what his heart was trying to tell him… What harm could it really do? He didn't have to follow it unless he chose to, and that would only happen if it gave him an alternative answer to this situation. 

As soon as Sesshoumaru had decided, his mind filled with a single image. Rin, lying unconscious in his hold, her hand still clutching the plant that Jaken had needed to save his life. The small human girl had almost died while trying to get that plant for him. Despite the odds against her, despite the danger, Rin had refused to give up. She had been willing to risk her own life in the attempt to save Jaken's. 

As that realisation dawned on Sesshoumaru, another memory came to him. This time it was something that Jaken had said. Even though he had shown nothing but contempt for Rin at first, the first time Sesshoumaru had ordered Rin to stay behind, he had asked in surprise if they were 'abandoning' her. Since then, a strange sort of almost-friendship had slowly grown between them. Sesshoumaru was somewhat surprised when he realised that he had watched it happening, and never before realised exactly what it meant. Jaken had accepted Rin's presence in their lives. 

Sesshoumaru blinked. What had he just thought? **Their** lives? That made it sound as though they were a… His mind refused to think the word, but his heart shouted it as loudly as it could. 

At some point, when Sesshoumaru hadn't been paying attention, he, Jaken and Rin had apparently become some sort of… family… 

Sesshoumaru looked at the cages, now seeing them, and the 'game', in an entirely different light. He had almost allowed his opponent to trick him again. No winner, no loser. He couldn't believe that he'd actually believed that to be true. If he allowed himself to fall into the simple, but surprisingly cunning, trap, if he allowed either Rin or Jaken to die, his opponent would win. Sesshoumaru could see that now. He refused to allow that to happen. Determination flooded through him. There had to be a way to save both of them! He just had to work out… 

The chains! 

His mind raced. His opponent had claimed that cutting the chain would break the spells on that cage. But by cutting the chain on one cage, the spells on the other cage would activate. But what if… 

Sesshoumaru smiled slightly. His golden eyes glinted as he suddenly leaped into the air, drawing Toukijin as he jumped towards the cage containing Rin. He was almost there… 

Suddenly, he threw Toukijin! The sword struck the chain on the cage holding Jaken, its powerful blade easily cutting through the iron links. As it did so, Sesshoumaru's claws slashed at the chain on Rin's cage. The two chains broke at the same moment. As Jaken's cage crashed to the ground, Sesshoumaru caught Rin's cage and lowered it more gently. Jaken could survive a few bruises, but Rin was only a fragile human after all. 

Sesshoumaru darted a glance at both cages and refused to acknowledge the relief he felt when neither sets of leaves burst into flames. When he heard the applause from somewhere behind him, he whirled around, his eyes searching the flickering shadows dancing over the walls. 

"Oh, well done, Sesshoumaru! For a moment there I didn't think you were going to work it out. That's the thing about only ever referring to your mind for your decisions and actions… your mind doesn't always see every side of the situation. There are some things that only the heart can notice. It's a good thing that you listen to Tenseiga at least, otherwise you might never have learned that."

It wasn't often that Sesshoumaru was completely stunned, but the soft words had done exactly that. Aside from the fact that his opponent had apparently been able to 'hear' Tenseiga, his words also seemed to imply that this hadn't been so much a test, as a lesson. For him. "You did this on purpose to… what? Force me to examine my… thoughts about these two?" He still wasn't willing to openly admit to having emotions… or a heart. 

It seemed incredible to him that someone would go to so much trouble for something that was so… useless… He paused at that thought. No, perhaps it wasn't so useless after all, but it was certainly not something that a stranger would just do as a random act! Sesshoumaru frowned. 

"Why did you do this? Who are you?" 

A soft laugh was his only response. He was about to ask again when he suddenly noticed the sweet scent tickling his nose. It took him a moment to recognise it. His eyes widened as he struggled to remain conscious, despite the smell of the burning plants. He glanced at the two cages and caught sight of Rin and Jaken still sleeping peacefully within them. 

It was the last thing he saw before his world went dark. 

To be continued…


	5. Friendly Advice

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fanfiction produced for entertainment purposes only. Inu-Yasha - A Feudal Fairytale and all related characters are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi. The only character in this story that is mine is the one that Sesshoumaru meets.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the last chapter of this story, but there will be a sequel. It won't be appearing for a while though, since I have quite a few other stories that require my attention first. I hope that everyone has enjoyed reading this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it! ^_^

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Sesshoumaru's Heart   
Chapter 5: Friendly Advice  
By Shadow's Mirror

Sesshoumaru woke, but remained still. He feigned continued sleep while his senses strained to catch the slightest sound or smell that would tell him what was happening. 

"You might as well open your eyes, Sesshoumaru. I know you're awake." 

The voice from the cave made him tense and his eyes snapped open. With all of his senses alert for the slightest sign of attack, he quickly took in his situation. 

Sesshoumaru barely kept his surprise from showing. 

When he'd been sent to sleep by those infernal leaves, it had been late in the day and he'd been inside a cave. Now, it was night and he was leaning up against a tree on one side of a forest clearing. In the middle of the clearing, about six feet away from him, a cheerful fire crackled merrily. On the other side of the fire, sitting just beyond the circle of firelight so he was no more than a vague shadowy shape, was his opponent. 

Sesshoumaru was about to spring to his feet and attack when caution overruled his instinctive need for revenge. There was something very odd going on here. It looked as though his opponent was not planning on holding him captive, or intending to go anywhere. In fact, he seemed to have been waiting patiently for Sesshoumaru to wake up! 

The youkai lord started to sit up and suddenly became aware of two slight weights leaning against him, one on either side. Looking down, he went still again. 

Jaken was curled up on Sesshoumaru's left side, his back against Sesshoumaru's hip and his hands clutching the empty sleeve close to him, like a sleeping child cuddling a favourite toy. There was a happy smile on the small youkai's face and every now and then he nuzzled against the cloth and uttered a soft sigh of contentment. 

Rin was nestled snugly against Sesshoumaru's right side, her head leaning against his chest and a peaceful smile on her face. It was a cold night, but she was nice and warm with Sesshoumaru's fur around her. His arm rested across her shoulders and the sight of his clawed hand curved over her small shoulder caused an oddly warm feeling within him.

Sesshoumaru allowed his tenseness to leave him and relaxed against the tree again. His eyes moved to gaze thoughtfully across the fire at the shadowy figure. He'd thought of him as an opponent ever since Rin and Jaken's kidnapping, but now… He was beginning to wonder if there was more to this than he had thought. 

"Who are you?"

"My name would mean nothing to you and it is better if you do not know it, at least for now. What you do not know, you cannot reveal, either deliberately or by accident." 

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. It was more of an answer than he'd received previously and it was one that he could live with. At least, for the time being. 

"Where have you brought us?" He didn't recognise the place. 

"You'll be able to see that for yourself, in the morning. Don't worry, it's a safe place. A good place. Bad dreams don't dare come here now. It's true, I have brought you some distance, but I don't think you'll mind that. By doing so, Naraku will be rather greatly inconvenienced."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at that. "Naraku?" 

The figure chuckled softly. "Yes. He had this wonderful little scheme all set up just past the ravine where I intervened. You would have come across it tonight. He had it planned right down to the last detail. He will be absolutely furious right now that his plan failed." 

"You should not have interfered. I have been wanting to encounter Naraku again." Sesshoumaru kept his voice even, but only with great effort. He was seething at this upstart's presumption. The fool seemed to think that he had done Sesshoumaru a favour or something!

The voice suddenly turned serious. "Believe me, you wouldn't have enjoyed this particular meeting. In fact… there's a very good chance that you wouldn't have survived it. I'm sure that Rin would not have." 

The mention of the child made Sesshoumaru pause in his mental rant. He gave the figure a sharp look. "Rin? What does she have to do with it?" 

"Naraku's plan involved her, a poisoned blade, the young boy Kohaku, Kagura and Kanna. Naraku himself would be, of course, absent from the proceedings. You wouldn't have met up with him even if you had fallen into his trap. Assuming that you survived the experience, you would have been unable to revive Rin afterwards, since the plan included Kanna's theft of her soul. By trying though, you would have revealed to Naraku something that he would be most eager to know. The fact that Tenseiga can restore life."

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. Although he didn't appreciate the intervention, he was willing to concede that it might have been in his best interests after all. He was also starting to think that there were a few things the shadowy figure knew that he did not. It was not a pleasant realisation. 

"All in all, it would have ended up being a rather large mess. Of course, if you are so eager to have the child end up dead, you are more than welcome to return to that area. I am sure that Naraku will keep the plan in place for a few days, or at least until he confirms your whereabouts. As far as he knows, you're still in the ravine. I figure you have at least three or four days before he realises that you're not. I set up a little something of my own so he will have considerable trouble when he tries to send someone to find you, by the way. The next time you see Naraku, don't be surprised if he's extremely annoyed with you."

Sesshoumaru eyed the figure thoughtfully, his anger fading into mild amusement as he began to appreciate the thought of Naraku's plans being upset. "I see. Don't expect me to thank you. I did not ask for your assistance."

"I don't and I know you did not. I didn't really do it for you, anyway. I would have hated to see your little girl come to any harm." He waited while Sesshoumaru took that in.

"You never intended to kill the girl today." He was suddenly certain of it. 

"Of course not. I don't kill. Especially children and minions. I find it distasteful." The voice was suddenly cheerful.

Sesshoumaru seethed at the realisation of how he'd been played for a fool. Before he could do or say anything though, the shadowy figure spoke again.

"Before you get too angry, keep in mind that I wouldn't have had to do any of this if you weren't so arrogant, self-centred and emotionless. Someone needed to teach you to listen to your heart and I decided that I was the perfect one to do it! Perhaps you won't need it, but I have a feeling that you might find it useful at some point."

"You presume a great deal…" Sesshoumaru was still fuming.

"Yes, I know, it's a failing of mine." The voice was still cheerful. Before Sesshoumaru could reply though, the figure suddenly stood. "It's time for me to go."

Sesshoumaru tensed, about to move, but the figure held out his hand. "If you move, I'll be gone before you can get to me and you'll never hear the rest of what I have to say." Sesshoumaru glared at him, but relaxed again, curious. 

"I know you have questions, but this won't be the last time that we meet. Save them until then. Right now, there is something far more important that I need to tell you."

"Very well. Speak." It was the only acknowledgment Sesshoumaru was willing to give. He was still more than a little annoyed over what had happened that day.

"Three things. Firstly, don't be so arrogant in thinking that you're the only one with the right or reason to battle Naraku. You're not. Your brother and his friends have far more reason to hate him and, frankly, they were there first. If you want a go at him, you'll need to wait your turn. Of course, it would be far easier if you were all to fight him at once, but somehow I don't think that's very likely to happen." Sesshoumaru glared at him, but even as he did so, he wondered what the figure meant. Why did his brother and those human friends of his hate Naraku? He had never bothered to find out. 

"Secondly, no matter what happens, save your hatred for the one who deserves it. Naraku is your enemy, not Kagura or Kanna and certainly not the boy, Kohaku. Remember, Naraku is an expert at manipulating people. The more he knows about someone, the easier it is for him to manipulate them. He created Kagura and Kanna and he controls them. As much as he can, anyway. As for Kohaku… he's just a pawn in Naraku's game. But he's an important pawn. Perhaps more important than even Naraku realises. Only time will tell." 

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly. "Naraku controls Kagura?" For some reason, that made him uneasy.

"In a way. She must obey him. She risks her life if she does not. Anyway, the final thing I must tell you is this… Do not reveal Tenseiga's power to Naraku! As long as he does not know of it, there is a chance that some of his plans will eventually fail. If he does not know that he needs to guard against you and your sword, then you may get your chance against him yet." 

"What do you mean?" He had Sesshoumaru's complete attention.

"In order to complete the Shikon no Tama, Naraku must retrieve all of the shards. There is one that cannot be retrieved without taking a life. Naraku is certain to try to use that to his advantage. But with your sword, you may be able to turn his plan against him." 

As the figure finished speaking, he moved forward, coming into the light for the first time. Sesshoumaru tensed then stared in disbelief at the young man as he finally saw him. 

He looked to be around 18, although he was almost certainly far older. Youkai rarely looked their true ages, after all. Fairly tall, he was only a little shorter than Sesshoumaru, with long reddish-brown hair that fell freely in waves down to his waist. His long tapered ears marked him as a full-blood youkai and he had a single dark red stripe on each side of his face. He was dressed in a similar fashion to Sesshoumaru, except that he wore no armour or fur, only a loose-sleeved white shirt embroidered around the sleeves with a fire design in red and gold. His pants were dark red and his boots were black with the same red and gold fire design around the tops of them. His bright green eyes sparkled with mischief and good humour as he grinned at the surprised youkai lord.

"I know you…" Sesshoumaru spoke slowly, not quite able to place the youth standing before him. He was certain that he knew the boy from somewhere, though.

"No, you don't, but don't worry. I get that all the time. I guess I just have that kind of face. I always seem to remind people of someone else!" He laughed.

Sesshoumaru wasn't convinced. There was definitely something familiar about the boy. Before he could work out what though, the boy spoke up, catching his attention.

"Anyway, it's been a pleasure Sesshoumaru, but I need to go. I have places to go and things to do, and time will not wait for me. Remember what I have said and remember what you have learned. Oh, and one more thing before I go… although it's a good idea to keep your feelings for your child and minion from Naraku, it's not a good idea to keep them from yourself as well. Look after yourself, and look after them! We'll meet again!"

Before Sesshoumaru could do or say anything, even before he could blink, there was a flash of light so bright that it lit up the clearing. When it finally faded, the boy was gone!

Sesshoumaru frowned. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of that encounter, but it had certainly given him quite a lot to think about. 

He leaned back against the tree. A part of him wanted to move away from Jaken and Rin, but he was actually quite comfortable right where he was, so he saw no point in moving. He tried to think about what had happened, but his eyes kept trying to close. Apparently the effect of the sleep-inducing leaves had not quite gone. He struggled to remain awake, but eventually, he could fight it no longer. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and sank into a deep sleep beside Rin and Jaken. The last thing he heard was the soft sound of a flute floating on the breeze. 

* * *

High up in the branches of the tree Sesshoumaru slept against, the same tree that his brother had been sealed to for fifty years, a small figure sat on a branch and swung his legs in time to the song the wind sang to him, the same song that he was skillfully playing on his wooden flute.

He was small and slight, only a little bigger than Rin, with reddish-brown hair caught up in a ponytail that reached down to below his waist, bright emerald green eyes and two small furry ears that stuck out of his hair on top of his head. His shirt was the same light brown as his pants, but with red and gold fire designs around the loose sleeves. The outfit was completed with small dark brown boots with the same fire design as on his shirt. His long fluffy tail streamed out behind him, also swinging in time to the music, as the young youkai guarded the sleep of the three figures in the clearing below him. 

The End


End file.
